Oil-refining device



@do 23 9 E923.,

R, C. LAND OIL REFINING DEVICE Filed Aug. "5. 1921 atented Oct. 23, i923.

man

RICHARD C. ALAND, F DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF T0 HARRY H.'

KNEIPER, 0F DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

OIL-REFINING- DEVICE.

Application filed August 5, 1921. Serial No. 489,994.

To all wLQm z't may concern.:

Be it known that I, RICHARD C. ALAND, a citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, county of Wayne, State of- Michigan, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Oil-Refining Devices,

and declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accmnpanyin'g` drawings, which form a part of this specification. i

This invention relates-to oil refining devices for internal combustion engines, and an object of the invention is to provide an oil refining device automatically operable through reduction in pressure of the intake manifold of the engine to cause a flow of lubricating oil from the crank case to the refining device and discharged by gravity and returned to the case, the impurities and volatile oils being removed from the oil in the refiner and the gases of the volatile oils 25 utilized for combustion in the engine. A

feature of the invention resides in the arrangement of the receptacle to receive the clarified oil from which the same is returned to the crank caseand the iiow of oil to the device being controlled automatically by opening the Ydevice to atmosphere when the clarifying oil receptacle has been illed to a. predetermined extent and to close it to atmosphere and open it to influence of the reduced pressure of the intake manifold when the clarified oil in the receptacle has fallen to predetermined level. An additional feature of the invention resides in the provision of heating means of particu- -lar character including a chamber and an oil conduit in coiled form in the chamber subject to the influence of heat of the eX- haust gases of the engine and providing a means for readily heating the oil to the desired temperature, a temperature actuated device being provided to control the low of exhaust gases into the chamber. Further objects of the invention are in the specific features of construction whereby compactness and efficiency in operation are secured as is hereinafter more fully set forth.. These and other objects and novel features of the invention are hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and the preferred form of construction of an oil refiner embodving my invention is shown in the accompanying drawings in which- Fig. l is a diagram showing an internal combustion engine' with my improved oil rening device in assembled relation therewith.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the refining device.

Fig. 3 isa plan view of the mechanism controlled by a iioat device for opening the oil chamber to atmosphere or to influence of a vacuum as hereinafter described.

Fig. 4,is a section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

As is well vknown the lubricating oil usually carried in the crank case of an internal combustion engine becomes impure by the addition of the gasoline passing thereinto between the pistons and cylinder walls of the engine and from grit and dirt that may accumulate therein. Thinning of the lubricating oil -by the additlon of a highly volatile oil thereto, such as gasoline, destroys the lubricating value of the oil. This device is designed to continually, during op.

eration of theengine, remove a quantity of oilfrom the crank case subjecting it to heat to vaporize the more light volatile oil and filtering the oil bypassing through a screen to the device whereby grit and other solid matter accumulating in the lubricating oil body may be removed.

The device Consists of an outer hollow shell l within which is mounted a thin walled receptacle 2, the upper open end of which is secured to a fiange 3 formed at the upper end of the body. The lower end of Vthe receptacle 2 is apertured to receive the centrally apertured retainer block 4 securing the same to a cross member 5 in the main casting or body 1. This provides a chamber 6 between the receptacle 2 and the outer casing l, which chamber is a smooth Walled chamber through which, as is hereinafter shown, the exhaust gases may pass being discharged at the upper end at 7 which is formed with a boss for connection of a conduit therewith. The member 4 1s secured by means of a nut 8 in an aperture nemers the conduit in the said member `5 and.

opening through the side of the member 1; being there provided with threads 11 for connection of the discharge pipe 12 as will be understood from Fig. 1. Secured to the bottom ofthe member 1 forming a base therefor is a semi-cylindrical member 13 having an opening 14 in the lowerend and flanged at 15 for connection with an aperture in the exhaust conduit vof an engine as will be readily understood. This member 13 may be secured to the base of the member 1 in any approved manner and opens directly to the chamber 6 on each side of the member 5 as will be understood from Fig. 4.

Within this receptacle 2 is a second receptacle 16 extending part way of the length of the outer receptacle 2 having an open upper end. The wall of the receptacle 16 at the upper end quite closely approach the wall of the receptacle 2 as will be seen in Fig. 2. This receptacle 16 has a centrally apertured bottom corresponding to that of the receptacle 2 and the member 4 secures the two members 2 and 16 together at the bottom and packin l may be interposed between the two mem ers beneath the membe-r 2 to prevent the leakage of oil from the receptacles. The shape of the bottom of the receptacle 16 is such as to provide a considerable space between the bottoms of the two receptacles and this space gradually decreases toward ythe top of the receptacles 16 where the two parts quite closely approach each other as before stated. This space between the members 2 and 16, designated by the numeral 17, is the impure oil space which, as hereinafter described, discharges into the said -chamber 17 between the two members 2 and 16 and overflows into the chamber 16 as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 2. An internally projecting `flange member 18 is provided just above the end of the member 16 to deect the oil into the inner receptacle 16.

The oil is delivered into the chamber 17 by a conduit 19 formed inthe central cross member 4 at one side of the aperture therein for the member 4.v To this conduit 19 at the lower side of the member 5 is attached the end of a coiled tube 20 located in the lower hemispherical chamber formed in the member 18. The oppositeupper end of this coil extends to and is connected with a chamber 21 formed in the side of the member 1 as will be understood from Figs. 2 and 4. Within this chamber 21 is a cylindrical screen 22 carried by a head 23 and oil is delivered into this chamber through the aperture, 24 in the side thereof as shown particularly in Fig. 4. A cap 25 is provided for the chamber 21, and oil is delivered beanV tween the cap and the head 23 of the screen. This head 2? is hanged toit the flanges 90 in the chamber 21 preventing oil passing from the inlet 24 to the outside of the screen. The screen head 23 is apertured as indicated at 26 to permit `oil to flow into the interior of the cylindrical screen member 22. Thus oil passing from the chamber 21 into the tube 20 is ltered of all solid material such as rit and dirt before it passes into the tube.

s heretofore stated, the chamber 1 is open by means of the aperture 14 to the ex- .haust manifold of the engine and the heated exhaust gases may pass through this chamber about the coilV 20, and through the chamber 1 and aperture 7 ,at the upper end to atmosphere, or to the exhaust manifold at a point distant from and under less pressure than the point of attachment of the device. Preferably ll provide a valve plate 26 in the lower part of the heini-spherical portion 13 at the point of entrance of the conduit14 thereinto and also provide a seat 27 for this valve plate which is shown in Fig. 2 in its normal open position. This plate is attached by means of a stem 29 to a bimetallic member 30, the ends of which are supported between the end of the member 13 and the lower end of the member 1. This member 30 is in the form of a bar formed of two metallic strips of unequal coeiiicients expansion so that upon being heated to a certain degree the expansion will deflect the member 3() downward forcing the valve plate toward its seat 27 and to /a greater or less extent restricting the opening 14 and thus control the How of heated exhaust gas through the device. The purpose of this is to prevent overheating of the oil which should not be heated above 450o F. This valve device is entirely automatic in operation and the valve plate may be adjusted on the stem to permit adjustment of the parts to produce the desired result.

This device is #intended to operate by means of a partial vacuum to which the intake conduit of the engine is subjected and to prevent too rapid a dow `of oil through the device (under which condition refinement might not be completed or the oil not refined to the desired degree) ll have provided means whereby the reiner is subjected intermittently to the reduced pressure of the intake manifold and control this submission to the reduced pressure by means ofy a oat adaptedz when the inner receptacle has become filled to a predetermined degree, to open the upper part of the device to atmosphere and close it to the influence of the reduced pressure of the intake manifold. This is accomplished by mea-ns of a valve adapted to engage a seat 41 provided in the cap member wlnch has a threaded aperture for the tube 42 leading to the intake manifold as indicated in Fig. 1 so that when the valve 46 is opened the interior of the redner lll@ is subjected to the reduced pressure of the intake manifold causing oil. to flow into the receptacle 2 and 16. When the receptacle 16 is lilled to al predetermined extent the valve 40 is closed and the valve 43 open. This valve 43 operates in an aperture 44 provided in the cap member and has a stem 45 extending up through the aperture in the said member forming a guide for the valve. The valve 43 also has a stem ortion 46 at the lower end and this lever 4 is pivotally mounted in a bracket 48 of the cap and one end thereof is apertured through which the stem 46 is positioned. The lower end of the stem 46, as indicated by dotted lines 49, is enlarged so that this apertured end of the lever may move between this enlarged end and the body of the valve 43. Also pivoted to this lever 47 is the valve 40 on the opposite side of the pivotal point of the lever from the apertured end. By rocking the lever 47 on its pivot in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 2 the valve 4() may be closed and this valve will close previous to the opening of the valve 43 due to theY freedom of movement of the apertured end of the lever on the stem 46 of the valve so that the chamber is only open to atmosphere tion or the other through action of the coiled springs 50 and 51 as Will be understood from Figs. 2 and 3. To utilize these springs I have provided a cross bar 52 at the end of the lever 47 opposite the apertured end and positioned some little distance beyond the pivot point of the valve 40. To each outer end of this bar 52 is attached respectively the springs 50 and 51 and these extend from the said bar 52 of the lever 47 to opposite ends of a bar 53 from which extend the two legs 54 and 55 pivoted to the bracket 48 at the inner ends. To these legs 54 and 55 is connected a link 56 leading to the lever 57 pivoted at 58 to a bracket on one side of the cap member depending into the upper end of the receptacle 2. This bar 57 has a lug 58 thereon which may be engaged by the cross bar 53 when the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 2 with the valve to atmosphere closed and the valve controlling the conduit to the intake manifold open. Tn this position of parts, as will be seen in Fig. 2, the springs extend between the bar 53 and the bar 52 on a line below the point of pivoting of the lever 47 which tends to hold the levers in the position shown. When the lever 57 is raised to bring the longitudinal center line of springs above the pivot point of the lever 47, the lever 47 will be turned by tension of the springs in a direction opposite that shown by the arrow in Fig. 2 closing the valve 40 and opening the valve 43.

The lever 47 is controlled by means of a float 60 in the interior of the receptacle 16. This floatis of the usual hollow metal type which may be of any approved form and preferably is mounted on the vertical shaft 6l having near the lower end a cross bar 62 and near the upper end a cross bar 63. The lower end 64 projects into the discharge aperture and provides a guide for the rod. The float is shown in Fig. 2 in the position assumed When the receptacle 16 is practically empty at which time the valve 43 to atmosphere is closed and the valve 40 open submitting the interior of the chamber to a. vacuum thus drawing oil through the coil 20 and conduit 19 into the chamber 17 This overflows into the chamber 16 and finally raises the float 60 which raises the lever 57 raising the bar 53 and legs54 and 55 thereof bringing the center line of the springs to above the pivot point of the lever 47 in the bracket 48 and causing movement of the lever 47 in the direction shown by the arrow closing the chamber to the vacuum line 42 and opening it to atmosphere and relieving the suction on the conduit 19 and line 20.

Upon release of the partial vacuum in the chamber 16 oil begins to flow out of the chamber through t-he member 4, conduit 10 and line 12 through the cooling device 65 into the crank case. It is to be noted that. a ball check valve 66 is used in the member 4. to close the conduit thereto upon partial vacuum being produced in the chamber and upon release of this vacuum the ball 66 falls to the botom of the recess in the member 4 freeing the channel 10 to low ofv oil as stated.

The cooling device maybe of any approved type here being shown as a series of tubes extending between two headers as indicated in Fig. 1, the tubes having a series of metal plates thereon to radiate the heat of the oil body passing therethrough. A line 70 leads from the cooling device into the crank case preferably above the bearing plate 71 usually provided therein as shown by dotted lines in Fig. l. Thus the refined oil is delivered back onto this plate and carried to the several bearings. The line 70 may, however, lead to any desired part of the crank case. The intake line 24 leads from the sump of the crank case to the re` liner.

By the arrangement described the device operates intermittently withdrawing a quantity of oil from the crank case into the chamber 17, it being heated on its way to the chamber by reason of its passage through the coils 20 which are subject to the heat of the exhaust gases passing thereabout and through the chamber 6.

This also heats'the walls ofthe receptacle 2 and maintains the oil 'in heated condition on its passage upward and into the receptacle 16;` The exhaust gases pass out through the aperture 7 to atmosphere or through the line 80 into a part of the exhaust manifold as indicated in Fig. 1. 'llhe volatile gases vproduced by the heating of the oil body may be passed through the line 42 into the intake manifold and be utilizedas fuel. rl`he screen member will separate all foreign material from the oil body and thus the oil is refined and clarified and returned to the crank case in pure condition ,with the lubricating quality thereof unimpaired. By this continual removal. of, the oil and clarification thereof, `the lubricated oil is maintained in a substantially pure state at all times.

Having thus fully' described my invention, what l claim and desire'to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is- 1. An oil refining device for internal combustion engines comprising a casing providing a chamber, oil supply and return passages leading from the chamber to the crank case of the engine, filtering means through which the oil must pass in entering the chamber, means controlled by the s@ level of oil within the chamber for alternately submitting the same to andrelieving the same from a partial vacuum while the engine'is in operation, a casing enclosing the first named casing and greater in length `v @5 than the first named casing providing a chamber and passageway for heated gases about the oil chamber, said supply line having a coil in the lower portion of the outer chamber below the oil chamber and abouty exhaust opening at the upper end providing a passageway for the exhaust gases of the engine through the chamber and about the receptacle, oil supply and return pipes leading from the casing to the crank case of the engine, filtering means in the oil supply pipe, means controlled by the level of the i oil within the receptacle for alternately sub- 55 mitting the same to and relieving the same rfrom a partial vacuum produced in opera-f tion of the engine, said supply line having a coil within the heating chamber' at the intake end and a thermostatically controlled im' valve member for varying the volume of dow of the exhaust gases through the heating chamber.

3?. An oil rening device for internal cornbustion en ines comprising a casing providing a c amber, an oil receptacle within narrare the chamber closed thereto, a second oil receptacle within the first named oil receptacle less in length than the first receptacle, an oil supply line leading into the bottom of the first receptacle, an oil discharge line leading from the bottom of the second receptacle, both said lines being connected withf'the ycrank case of the engine, and

'means tor intermittently subjecting the receptac'le to a partial vacuum of the `intake first receptacle positioned, in the exhaust gas chamber substantially at the point of entrance of the exhausted gases thereinto.

d. An oil refining device for internal conibustion engines comprising a hollow casing, an oil receptacle therein spaced from the walls thereof providing a chamber, said chamber being open to a flow 'of exhaust gases from the engine thereinto about the oil receptacle, an overow receptacle within the oil receptacle and providing an oil chamber the two receptacles, the walls of the overflow receptacle gradually approaching the walls of theV main oil receptacle towardl the top thereof, an oil supply line leading from the crank clase to the main oil receptacle, a screen in the path of the said oil supply, said eil supply line including a coil of pipe `located in the bottom of the heating chamber', a discharge line at the bottom of the overflow receptacle, a check `valvein said line, a float in the overflow receptacle, a pipe leading from the top of 'the oil receptacles to the intake manifold of the engine, an opening to atmosphere at the top of the receptacles a valve for the said opening to atmosphere and for the said pipe, a Heat inthe overow chamber, and means whereby as the overow receptacle becomes filled to a predetermined degree 'the valve to the vacuum line is closed and the valve to the atmosphere opened and as the level of oil falls to a predetermined extent/the' valve to atmosphere is closed and the `valve to the `vacuum line opened.

'5. An oil refining device for internal combustion engines comprising an outer casing., a second casing therewithin sealed to the outer casing and a thirdhollow casing open at the top within the second casing, the walls of the second and third casings converging' toward the open end et the third casing, a bame 'supported by the secondk casing over ias the mouth of the chamber formed therebetween, an oil supply line leading from the crank case to the chamber between the second and third casings, means for alternately submitting the interior of the said casings to and relieving the same from a partial vacuum while the engine is in operation, a shell surrounding the second casing providing a chamber for exhaust gases from the engine, the sup-ply line having a portion thereof located in the exhaust gas chamber, an oil outlet at the bottom of the third casing, a float within the casing, and valve actuating mechanism controlled by the float whereby the chambers of the second and third casings are alternately submitted to atmospheric pressure or to sub-atmospheric pressure.

6. An oil ltering device for internal. cornbustion engines comprising a casing providing a chamber, a second chamber therewithin closed to the interior of the casing, an oil supply line leading from thecrank case of the engine to the second chamber, a third chamber within the second chamber into which oil may overflow, the first chamber being open to a flow of exhaust gases from the engine therethrough to heat the walls of the second chamber, an oil filtering device in the path of oil to the second chamber, a coiled tube providing a part of the passageway 'to the second chamber, said coil being located within the first chamber adjacent the inlet of the exhaust gases thereinto, an outlet passage for the third chamber, a check valve in the outlet passage closing under subnormal pressure in said chamber, means for intermittently submitting the second and third chambers to subnormal pressure when the engine is running, and a lioat in the third chamber controlling the submission of the second and third chambers to subnormal pressure.

e 7. An oil rening device for internal combustion engines comprising a casing providing a chamber, an 011 receptacle therewithin closed to the chamber, the said chamber having an inlet at the lower end and an exhaustl opening at the upper end providing a passageway for exhaust gases through the chamber about the oil receptacle, an oil supply conduit leading to the bottom of the receptacle, thefsaid conduit having a coil adjacent the intake opening of the casing, a second receptacle within the rst named oil receptacle into which oil from the first revice being spring-actuated to yieldably hold' the valve structure in the set position and the structure being such that one of the valves is open when the other is closed, and a float in the second receptacle adapted upon rising to set the valve mechanism to open the passageway to atmosphere and close the passageway to the intake manifold and to reverse the valve seating upon a fall thereof below a predetermined point.

In testimony whereof, I sign this specification.

' RICHARD C. ALAND. 

